Piper PA-12 accident near Sanger, Texas, July 3, 1989
On July 3, 1989 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N3353M, was destroyed in an accident near Sanger, Texas (Bar Vk Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT LOW ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1989 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sanger, Texas · Bar Vk Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N3353M · no longer on the register · serial 12-2050
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT IN WHAT THEY CHARACTEREZED AS A HIGH PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF. THEY REPORTED AN INITIAL DECK ANGLE OF ABOUT 25 DEG WHICH SHALLOWED TO ABOUT 10 DEG AS THE ACFT CLIMBED THRU 200' AGL. WITH NO APPRECIABLE ACCELERATION, AT ABOUT 300', THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT BANK AS IF TO TURN CROSSWIND. AS THE ACFT WAS TURNING, IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED. THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10 TO 15 KTS. THE PLT HAD LOGGED ABOUT 7 HRS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF ACFT. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OF THE ACFT OR ITS SYSTEMS WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,250 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 17,258 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 994 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1989; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Texas Flyers Association
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:45 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from FTW, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.